Campaigners to meet with Department of Education over plans for the first Government-funded Montessori Free School in Brighton and Hove

THE team behind a proposed free school is hoping it is third time lucky when they go before education bosses later this month.

Campaigners for the first Government-funded Montessori Free School in Brighton and Hove are battling on in their bid for the school despite twice being knocked back by the Government.

The school’s team will meet Department for Education chiefs next Tuesday.

The school will learn in September whether they have been successful, giving them a year to prepare for opening.

After their most recent rejection in January this year, campaigners complained they felt they were being punished for the high-profile failure of another, but completely separate, Montessori school in Crawley.

Discovery New School closed in April after it had its Government funding removed following a series of damning inspection reports.

Cath Oddhayward, from the Montessori Free School team, said: “We are back to the situation we were before.

“This will be our third interview with the Department for Education.

“If we get through this interview then we will be able to open in September 2015.

“Hopefully the department will recognise that we are not quitting.

“We were told before that we had not met all the conditions but the bid becomes stronger each time so hopefully this makes it more likely this time.”